8 Oct 2012

Cook Islands governments looks at compulsory motorcycle helmets

6:44 am on 8 October 2012

The Cook Islands government is looking at making motorcycle helmets compulsory on the country's roads.

Between 2000 and 2011, there were 47 deaths caused by road accidents, including 39 travelling on a motorbike - and 34 of these riders died from head injuries sustained in the crash.

The WHO has signed a country cooperation strategy with the Cook Islands, with the high road mortality rate one of the six focus areas in the strategy.

The Secretary of Health Liz Iro says the health ministry is looking at all the crash risk factors - speed, alcohol, no helmets - and will work in collaboration with police and agencies like the Road Safety Council to come up with a plan.

She says helmets are the easiest solution to implement from a legislation perspective.

But she says a lot of consultation will have to be done with the public and the government first.